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A. JQWORKS' & H. A. DANIELS. APPAEATESEOE AND PROCESS OF GENERATING AND BURNING VAPOR FUEL.

No. 110,946. v Patented'Jan. 10-, 1871.

THE nonms FETERs co mmuu'mo" WASHINGTON. D- c.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. J. WORKS & H. A. DANIELS. APPARATUS FOR AND PROCESS OF GENERATING AND BURNING VAPOR FUEL.

No. 110.946. Patented Jan. 10, 1871.

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ALFRED J. Worms, OF New Yours, N. Y, AND HENRY A. nanrnnsor WASHINGTON ms'rarcr or COLUMBIA, ASSIGNORS TO THE UNITED STATES VAPOR-FUEL GOM- PANY, .OF NEW YORK- CITY.

IMPROVEMENT IN'APPARATUS'AND-PROCESSES FoaceugnArrne AND annulusvAPoR FUEL.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

To all wig-om it may concern: 1

Be it known that we, ALFRED J. WORKS, of New York City, N.Y., and HENRY A. DANIELS, of (ashington, District of Columbia, have invented an Approvement, by which our intention may be distinguished from others of a similar class, together with such parts as we claim and desire to secure by Let ters Parent.

The nature of ourinven'tion relates to the prod action and method of burning what is denominated car bureted- (my-hydrogen vapor as fuelrformetallm'gi'o uses, for the generation of steam, and for other purposes; and its several features consists iu--' first, generating gas and vapor hy introducing into the body of the hydrocarbon liquid, in minute jets,ia current of air from a super-heater, which is located pretcrably in the dome of the steam-boiler simultaheously with the application of fire-heat.to a generator containing the Second, maintaining the contents of thegenerator at a very high temperature by the combination of steam-heat with a tire-heat, either from solid or vapor fuel;

Third, a se1f-fecding vapor-burner; l i

l ouitlu'providing a generator with double grate: bars, so that it may be heated eitl1c1 -u'itl1 solid or vapor-fuel, or botb;

Fifth, employing steam to clean 'out the pipes and to promote combustion, and by'a surplus thereof instantlyto extinguish all fire in the combustion-chains her; I

. Sixth, passing the elements of combustionthrough refractory or iucombustible material, at or near the the point of combustion ;-.and

Seventh, combininga gas or vapor-purifier with super-heating, decomposng, and refi'actory materials." in the drawing accompanying thiss-pecification- Figure 1 represents a vertical section of our apparatns I V Figure 2, a top -view of the burner; Figure 3, the gas-purifier and Figure 4, the apparatus as'applied to inetallurgic uses.

The three elements of combustion above named (carbonic, oxygen, and hydrogen vapors). we unite, by

' preference, at the place and moment of combustion,

carbonaceous or ,olefiant substance;

in the form of a compound gas or vapor. However, when more convenient, they may be combincd'at any earlier stage, all other conditions remaining the same.

In order. to obtain the requisite amount of carbonic vapor, we use any liquid, semi-liquid, or liquefiable hydrocarbon whatever, such as tar, mineral-oils, the residuum of gas-works, of oil-refineries, the distillations from coal or shale, or any of the olefiant substance. so liberally scattrcd over the world.

We are aware thatthe production and burning of the simple vapors 'fr'oiu'the above and similar uiate rials is not uew,rand the manner of producing the oxy-hydrogen flame is also fwellknown; but the method of obtaining in sufficient quantity these lat-.- I

ter elements, and properly carbonizing them,- all in a simple economical manner, and of combining and using this compound product constitute t-lie olnef,

features of this invention.

As auothervaluable feature of this inventiorrillu minating-gas of excellent quality may be alsio prodhced from almost any liquid hydrocarbon.

In the uiannfircture of this gas steam is chiefly used, if at all, to heat or -vaporize the liquid, rarely to mix with or dilute the product; fuel, of its own produc tion, or any other, may be used to run the apparatus. v The only other material change from the foregoiug to be noted here is, providing a suitable conduit,

so as to convey the-gas to a reservoir. Into saidv reservoir, by any of the ordinary |nethods,:maybe injectedandproperiy intermixed, the requisite amount of atmospheric air necessary to .reduce-thehydro-fi carbon gas to the point of greatest economy, and

thus develop its utmost brilliancy and illuminating power.

Whenever the basis of this gas or vapor is of that character that the product requires purifying, then.

A suitable generator, capable of holding from sev-- enty-five gallons upward, is constructed of boilerplate iron, and of sufiicieut strength to resist at least fifty pounds pressure to the inch. This is filled about two-thirds full of whatever hydrocarbon it is designed to use.

' To the generator,aftcrthemanner of steam-boilers,

must be attached regular steam and water-gauges, as well as a means ofretilling, and also cleaning out, by steam or other well-known methods, the sediment, which after a time, may collect at the bottom.

Iresruning the generator to be a vertical one, we fix therein, about six or eight inches from its base, a continuation of the conduit, which connects the generator with a metallic separator, arranged preferably within the dome of thesteam-boiler, but which may be located within the smoke-stack or other convenient part of the furnace. 7

It is immaterial in what particular manner this conduit is arranged within the generator, care being taken,

however,,that it affords a surface sufficientfor the heat from the super-heater to assist most readily and effectually in the vaporizing process. Thus the current, passing through the conduit, first evolves a great quantity of heat, and afterward is minutely diffused injets throughout the body of fluid hydrocarbon.

On the sides of this conduit are pierced numerous equidistant apertures, so that the current escaping thence is brought into the closest possible contact with the surrounding liquid.

The form of the superheatci", as shown in fi 1, is immaterial, though in this case it is constructed ol pipeqvork. It communicates with the air outside by means of a funnel-shaped opening. Into this funnel extends and terminates at small pipe, connected to the boiler, so as to discharge into the funnel an amount of steam suflicient only to produce a vacuum, whereby the current of air through the supcrheater is greatly accelerated, and is enabled to overcome readily the ordinary pressure within the generator.

The current passing through the superheater is kept intensely hot by the surrounding steam within the boiler. An important chemical change here takes place.

Whatever exhaust-steam may enter with the atmospheric air into this superheater is, by means of intense heat, sufiiciently decomposed to unite with the other element, and flow through the pipes into the generator as a highly heated oxy-hydrogen vapor.

The object of the above-described arrangement chiefly is to raise the material in the generator as soon as possible to a vaporizing temperature, which thus becomes, as above stated, first heated, then volatili'zed, and uniting with the liberated vapor, rapidly ascends to the.chamber or space above, forming a combustible hydrocarbon vapor.

vaporization is also produced by direct fire-heat, either from vapor of its own generation, or by the use of solid fuel burned upon supplemental gratebars.

In constructing generators, we advise that they be made, in all cases, with a deep fire-box and duplicate grate-bars, as above intimated, and thus so arranged that either vapor or solid fuel may be used when and where the other. agencies are not always immediately available.

In such cases, water can be pumped in along with the other liquid, or a small supplemental generator or boiler may be usedto furnish the requisite amount of. steam, until otherwise attainable.

The flame in the fire-box is allowed to ascend through the upper grate-bars, and thus a .suflicient amount of vapor fuel is soon accumulated wherewith to begin operations. The entire operation will thus become almost entirelyautomatic.

A feed-pipe is tapped into the top of the generator leading down into its firebox.

Connecting with the main discharge-pipe from the generator, is another one, to be used for bringing waste or other steam, for the purpose of keeping the rior and its contents become. thoroughly heated at much larger supply can and should be used, thus sccuring atonce greater intensity of heat and economy in fuel.

lVastc or rawsteam may, however, be discharged separatelyin the fire-box, or through the door of the ash-pit, along with the "egular draiight, or otherwise, without materiall y affecting the combustion.

At any convenient point 0" place in the pipe, connecting with the generator, should be inserted a double diaphragm, made of line wire-gauze, or other equitalent porous material. I g

The feed-pipe or pipes on entering the fire-box, are coiled around the interior, preferably upon three sides, about three inches from the periphery thereof, and

. may rest upon the ordinary grate-bars or any similar contrivance. v i

Into this pipe so arranged, are set, laterally, for a fire-box,.two and a half feet square, from fort-y to sixty gas-nipples, of thecapzicity of six or eight cubic feet per hour.

Wherrthe combustion-cham'ber is larger, there should be a proportioiml increase of these nipples, which may, if more convenient, be inserted in cross-' sections of the pipe.

Equivalent holes pierced in the pipe will sufiice if such nipples be not a 'ailable. I

There is then to be placed evenly fiver the whole a covering, about four or five inches deep, of broken fire-brick, old crucibles, or any similar ieii active inconibustihle material of irregular form, averaging in sizeabout three-quarters a cubic inch.

Hollow or blllGkl)'-=l)8l'f0l'itt8tl slabs or blocks, orof bricks or tile, asbestos, or any partial covering and filling in of"similar material and similarly arranged, will sutiice, whereby the aforesaid elements of combustion are compelled, in their passage, at or .just

before ignition, to come in contact with and impinge closely upon theaibresaid or similar numerous irregular surfaces of such refractive materials. This is an essential feature of this invention.

The ordinary fire-door must be hermcticall y. closed and the principal supplyof air made to pass upward, or at all events, through the heated mass of refractive materials. A

When about to begin, we allow at first-a moderate amount of oxy-hydrogeu vapor to flow into the generator, and as its contents become heated, the fuelvaporaccumulates, and the steam-gauge, soon showing the presence of sufiicient hydrocarbon vapoig the stop-cock of the feed-pipe is gradually opened,.' and the vapor allowed to flow in among the refractive material; care being'always first taken toplace thereon some light ignited substance, to be kept burning for a few seconds, until combustion of the vapor takes place. The volume of lire may'now be enormously increased or entirely extinguished;

As the refractive material and whole interiorof the fire-box becme .fully heated the supply of carbonic vapor may be gradually diminished, "while that of the raw steam, direct from the boiler, may beproportionally increased.

When the whole firebox is thus aglow, the steam being brought into repeated contact with said heated refractive material, is thorougly decomposed, and hence,'in combination with the atmospherioair constantly flowing or forced in, there is regularly made and condensed an foxy-hydrogen gas, which, with the small amount of carbonic .vapor, thenceforth re- .schist or shale, and all quisite, produces a dame (lith g TQ tQSU n e ty and purity, free from all appearance. of'soctorsmoke, and of the utmost attainable economy,

An artificial blast maybe. used when desirable, and dampers, valves, or other suitable. means employed to regulate both forced and natural draughts.

Though the fire-box dimensions given above are for only a twelve or fifteen horse-power boiler, yet it should be borne in mind that the same generator and pipes, by a proper increase of steam, of vapor-liquid, and burner-jets, are capable of furnishing fuel for a one hundred and fifty horse power boiler as well. Slight experience will suggest all ncedful modifications.

In cases requiring a. large consumption of fuel, as in a series of iron furnaces, we use a hot-air blast, and also heat orsuperheat the vapor before it enters the combustiou-chamber.

This may be done. by any of the ordinary methods, and in such cases, or where a. long-continued fire is necessary, we advise the employment of a separate generator, or a vapor-holder, whereby there may be always retained a sufiicicnt supply to commence with. f

Any'tendency of the vapor to condense may be avoided by keeping a few jets burning-under such gas-holder, thus keeping the supplyof vapor moderately warm, or at a higher temperature.

Vapor-fuel may be used with great advantage and economy in connection with coal or otlier solid fuels, and by the same means we are enabled to utilize those lower grades of coal existing nearly everywhere in great abundance, and which, alone,- are incom bustible and now wholly worthless. a

Ve effect this in the following very simple manner:

Leaving out or removing all the refractive'materials, a duplicate set of grate-bars is placed directly over and upon the burner-pipes and nipples.

- This is done mainly to protect them from the intense heat, but anyequivalent arrangement will answer for regular grates.

The fire is kindled thereon in the usual manner,

and thus the mass of burning coals or shale will he found to answer equally well the purposes of the other in decomposing the elements, and assisting in their more perfect combustion. Gre'at' economy in the use of all these materials will thus be secured. I

For the higher grades of metallurgy, such as making cutlery, steel, and for other purposes, where a flame and heat of the utmost purity are required, we remove all traces of sulphur, phosphorus, and other impurities which may remain in the vapors of coaltar, and some few other hydrocarbons in the followiug manner A vessel of suitable size and form is filled with any two or more of the following mixtures, viz., metallic shavings or scraps, and limestone, chalk, bones, charcoal, coke, or other calcareous substances, and the gas or vapor from .the generator is led into the base of this receptacle, which we denominate a purifier.

Thence percolating the entire mass of material it becomes cleansed of all noxious properties, and may be taken from the other end of the purifier and carried by a pipe wherever desired for use.

The purl-tier must be provided with suitable openings for removing refuse and recharging, when neces-' sary.

Better results will be obtained if the purifier be kept at a red heat.

Two or more purifiers may be used when required, or instead of separate vessels the materials used for refining the gas may, by a proper arrangement, espc- I cially for. metaliurgic purposes, be combined with the refractive or decomposing materials in or near the furnace, as shown in age.

,Herethe purifier, super-heater, and decomposcr are combined in a single apparatus, working in'co'unection with a lieatiug or reheatingfurnace, but it is equally applicable to any. other.

In such cases, care must be taken that the upper and heat-exposedportiou of the purifier and contents be protccted'by incombustiblematerial, and that such upper part be filled to the depth of about six inches with decomposing material only.

At this point, on suitable flanges, is placed a'closelyfitting perforated plate'or fine bars. Above this'are the decomposing materials, and allbelow, those used for purifying purposes.

Steam, and a hot or cold-air blast,'are discharged into the purifier immediately above the plate abars referred to, while the vapor from the generator is led in by a pipe at its base, all of which is clearly illustrated'in the drawing.

The purifier is readily recharged through the furnace-door by first taking out the'moyable plate, 850., above referred to, as will be observed.

The top of thepurifier is about on a level with the bed of the furnace, from which it only is separated by a. light bridgeqvall.

The front door of the furnace over the purifier, while other as convenience requires.

In the foregoing general opens at and directly doors may be inserted V specification, there is found sufilcient direction for working this fuel system, either in connection with the furnace shown or for any other metallurgic uses to which it may be applied.

Claims.

Haviugithusfully described the nature and operation-of our invention,

What we'claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

71. A method of and apparatus for refining and reducing hydrocarbon and olefiant liquids by forcing into and minutely diffusing therein, fig. 1, a. current "of hot air, by the aid of pressure from a'boiler, 'or by means of an ordinary blower.

2. An apparatus for and method of producing gas or other products, in a generator, from .the abovedescribed liquids, by means of a current of hot air driven and minutely discharged into the body of such liquid through the direct application of steam-power, substantially as and for the purposes herein shown and described.

3. A generator, constructed and arranged so that its contents may be raised and maintained at a very high temperature by means of steam-heat, in combination with single or double grate-bars, for using solid fuel, or a self-'ieeding-vapor burner, substantially as and for the purposes herein set forth.

4. The generator, constructed with a fire-box, connected and fed'by a pipe communicating with its vapor-chamber.

5. The generator, constructed-with a fire-box and duplicate grate bars, for the purposes above described.

G.'A steam-pipe, connecting with the main feedpipe, so as to blow steam through and clean out the burners, promote combustion, as well also as toiustantly extinguish the fire, by throwing into the combustion-chamber a surplus of steam.

7 The arrangement of refractive or iucombustible material at or near. the point of combustion, so that either or all of the aforesaid elements of combustion shall pass through the said material, in the manner and for the purposes herein described.

8. The combination and arrangement of the burner and refractive material with a, furnace or with a iirefig. '4, us and fur the purposes zihove described.

box. I ALFRED J. WORKS.

0. A gas or vapor-purifier, fig 3, either with or Witnesses: HENRI A. DANIELS. without means of heating the same. T. G. GONNOLLY,

10. A gas or vapor-purifier, in combination with J. A. LEHMANN.

snperheating, decomposing, and refractive materials; 

